2.7 overall gpa, 3.5 science: D.O or IFG?

[bezzer]

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First time post here. Trying to get input on my stats. I've got 2.7 overall gpa and a 3.5 science gpa. Totally irresponsible sophomore year and junior year. Frankly should have never been enrolled in school. I have a sociology degree along with the prerequisites and a bit more(anatomy and genetics). Haven't taken mcat yet. I've shadowed D.Os and M.Ds. I've been working as a manager of a dual diagnosis facility for 4 years. Should I try for D.O schools or go international?

 

[Back 5]

Spend a year or two retaking all C or below courses. You'll have a large body of evidence to show in a post bacc. Grade replacement if you are wanting to go DO. Special Masters if you have a high mcat and want to try MD.

 

[Playdoh4lyfe]

Social Sciences major here (International Affairs conc. Economics), 3.05 science and overall GPA, 27 MCAT. Nothing spectacular, but the major doesn't matter as long as you have the pre-reqs and demonstrate ability in the sciences. So with that 3.5 science GPA you're in a better position than I was my senior year.

With those stats I've had 3 ii's for D.O. school, 1 Accept, 1 Alternate list and 1 ii I declined after the first acceptance.

Definitely see if you can take all the C or below again like Back 5 said. Also, if you score 30+ and do a *good* SMP you could have a shot at MD. Otherwise, with the retakes and a 25-29 MCAT, I think you'd be in a decent position for DO.

 

[TXKnight]

First time post here. Trying to get input on my stats. I've got 2.7 overall gpa and a 3.5 science gpa. Totally irresponsible sophomore year and junior year. Frankly should have never been enrolled in school. I have a sociology degree along with the prerequisites and a bit more(anatomy and genetics). Haven't taken mcat yet. I've shadowed D.Os and M.Ds. I've been working as a manager of a dual diagnosis facility for 4 years. Should I try for D.O schools or go international?

Back 5 is correct. As of right now, your cGPA will take you nowhere in the DO scene.

 

[bezzer]

Thanks for your responses. Im not really feeling the Masters program and have done most of the grade replacement I can. If I kept on doing grade replacements i would never graduate haha. Im 29 years old, gotta accept the wreckage of my past and do what I can with what I've got thus far. I'm going to try D.Os but from your responses I feel overseas is the privilege I will receive.

 

[Elevencents]

Get that 2.7 to 3.0, shouldn't be that hard. Do everything possible to not go Caribbean. Even if it means another year. You're still in your 20's, you're fine time wise.

 

[user3]

I think you'll be fine

 

[TXKnight]

Have you taken MCAT? you need to see what you get in order to make an educated decision. I agree you need to bring your cgpa to at least a three. At least.

 

[wiloghby]

I have a friend who is an MD student now who had a 2.7 cGPA and majored in chemistry, so I'm sure the sGPA was similar. In other words, you have a much better sGPA than he does.

He did an SMP at Tufts and then applied and was admitted. You might consider the same, as I am sure it would work at least as well if your goal is to go DO

 

[Back 5]

Thanks for your responses. Im not really feeling the Masters program and have done most of the grade replacement I can. If I kept on doing grade replacements i would never graduate haha. Im 29 years old, gotta accept the wreckage of my past and do what I can with what I've got thus far. I'm going to try D.Os but from your responses I feel overseas is the privilege I will receive.

It's your life bud. I'm 33 starting school this year. Spent a year doing gpa repair to get my sgpa to a 3.5+. I'd highly suggest not going international and buckle down and do the work.

I took 28 science credits over the course of a year, while working full time in my post bacc. It was really really hard work, but it helped me study for the mcat and proved to myself that I could give myself an honest shot at the rigors of med school.

 

[Dreamstoo]

I have a friend who is an MD student now who had a 2.7 cGPA and majored in chemistry, so I'm sure the sGPA was similar. In other words, you have a much better sGPA than he does.

He did an SMP at Tufts and then applied and was admitted. You might consider the same, as I am sure it would work at least as well if your goal is to go DO

If the person is doing a DO, grade replacement would probably be cheaper (if the OP decides to do it at a cheap institution).
What you just said is very rare. A 2.7 even with a SMP is still pretty tough to land a position. The lowest GPAs I've seen get into decent low tier MDs were 3.4 cgpa/3.2 sgpa. Good to hear that happened for your friend but I'm pretty sure he probably had a very well rounded application (good ECs, good letters, etc.)

 

[wiloghby]

If the person is doing a DO, grade replacement would probably be cheaper (if the OP decides to do it at a cheap institution).
What you just said is very rare. A 2.7 even with a SMP is still pretty tough to land a position. The lowest GPAs I've seen get into decent low tier MDs were 3.4 cgpa/3.2 sgpa. Good to hear that happened for your friend but I'm pretty sure he probably had a very well rounded application (good ECs, good letters, etc.)

There are people accepted to medical school with an undergraduate GPA <3.0, but I would venture to say almost all have completed an SMP.

Everyone else in that situation just takes undergraduate coursework as a post-bacc until their GPA is >3.0. So indeed OP has a choice.

If OP is merely trying to choose between DO and IMG then the choice is very very easy: Pleeease go DO! But with that 3.5 sGPA and a high MCAT, if you are willing to take more time and go into more debt before you apply, you could probably toss in some applications at MD schools as well. But for that you may need an SMP as AMCAS doesn't allow for grade replacement.

Of course my friend had all the other stuff too. But OP sounds like s/he has really fantastic work experience, and I am sure can get some great letters too. I think that can go a long way.

I know you weren't asking about MD.. I just wanted to share my thoughts. But between IMG and DO, you gottttta go DO!

 

[bezzer]

Thanks again for your responses. I'm gunna try for DOs and gunna kick ass on the mcat on may 31st. If I don't make the cut with the DOs the big 4 carribean schools will lure me. If I can get in to the carribean I am more than willing and determined to dominate. If it takes matching in the middle of nowhere so be it. The goal is physican where I practice is secondary.

 

[Goro]

100%concur.

Get that 2.7 to 3.0, shouldn't be that hard. Do everything possible to not go Caribbean. Even if it means another year. You're still in your 20's, you're fine time wise.

 

[Instatewaiter]

.

 

[whatwhy]

I have a friend who is an MD student now who had a 2.7 cGPA and majored in chemistry, so I'm sure the sGPA was similar. In other words, you have a much better sGPA than he does.

He did an SMP at Tufts and then applied and was admitted. You might consider the same, as I am sure it would work at least as well if your goal is to go DO

You can't even get into most SMPs/post bacc programs with that low of a GPA.

 

[coolingglasses]

Thanks again for your responses. I'm gunna try for DOs and gunna kick ass on the mcat on may 31st. If I don't make the cut with the DOs the big 4 carribean schools will lure me. If I can get in to the carribean I am more than willing and determined to dominate. If it takes matching in the middle of nowhere so be it. The goal is physican where I practice is secondary.

Determined as you might be, consider that there are probably reasons why the attrition rate at Carribean schools tend to be much higher, outside of admitting people that maybe shouldn't have been there in the first place.

 

[coolingglasses]

You can't even get into most SMPs/post bacc programs with that low of a GPA.

Probably true for SMP but TS doesn't need to do an official post-bacc program. An unofficial one would be just as well.

 

[Dr. Zombie]

Determined as you might be, consider that there are probably reasons why the attrition rate at Carribean schools tend to be much higher, outside of admitting people that maybe shouldn't have been there in the first place.

Yup. I browsed through ValueMD.com and noticed alot of shady businesses from a lot of these CarribMD schools based in student feedback.

 

[wiloghby]

You can't even get into most SMPs/post bacc programs with that low of a GPA.

Yes.. He was very very excited and surprised when he got into the SMP program. I do not know how well he did in the program, but he must have done pretty well as he is currently an M2 in an MD program. He also had many other good aspects to his application, I am sure.